Bipartisan Campus Accountability and Safety Act introduced by Capito

To combat sexual assault on America’s college campuses, U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) recently proposed bipartisan legislation that aims to provide students with more resources and improve college accountability and transparency standards.

“We must do all we can to prevent sexual assault on our college campuses, and make certain our students have access to all available resources and our universities remain accountable,” Sen. Capito said. 

The senator is among nine original cosponsors of the Campus Accountability and Safety Act (CASA), S. 5047, which U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) sponsored on Sept. 29. Among the lawmakers who joined Sen. Capito as an original cosponsor is U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA).  

“The Campus Accountability and Safety Act cements standards that strengthen the response to sexual assault crimes, bolster protections for survivors, and ensure transparency throughout the process,” said Sen. Capito. “I’m proud to join my colleagues and reintroduce this legislation on behalf of our students in West Virginia.”

Sen. Capito’s staff noted that in addition to this session of Congress, CASA has been introduced during the 114th, 115th, and 116th sessions of Congress.

If enacted, S. 5047 would increase transparency and reporting required under the Jeanne Clery Disclosure Act, and create a campus safety website with information on each institution’s Title IX coordinator and similar officials, along with instructions on how to file a complaint, according to a bill summary provided by Sen. Capito’s staff.

Additionally, S. 5047 would establish new campus resources and support services for survivors of campus sexual assault, including coordinators to provide information and coordinate support services, the summary says.

The measure also would establish both a uniform process to adjudicate sexual assault cases and ensure on-campus personnel receive proper training, as well as a competitive grant program funded through fines to address and prevent sexual violence on college campuses, states the summary.